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Saturday, November 2, 2013

Pre Pub Book Buzz: The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris

Ok, readers, this one might be a LEETLE far out (for us here in the States) but I really can't wait! So far I'm only seeing a UK release date of Feb 20, 2014 from Gollancz. I'm sure at some point we'll have it here in the US but I've no idea when. (I may have to order mine overseas come Feb.)

I very much enjoy Joanne Harris's work. Ever since my introduction to her with Five Quarters of the Orange, she's been on my must have list. This includes her excellent teen release, Runemarks, which - like Gospel of Loki - concerns Norse mythology. Though in this case Gospel of Loki does appear to be an adult title and I'm assuming no linked to Runemarks in any way other than the source material.

The novel is a brilliant first-person narrative of the rise and fall of the Norse gods - retold from the point of view of the world's ultimate trickster, Loki. It tells the story of Loki's recruitment from the underworld of Chaos, his many exploits on behalf of his one-eyed master, Odin, through to his eventual betrayal of the gods and the fall of Asgard itself. Using her life-long passion for the Norse myths, Joanne Harris has created a vibrant and powerful fantasy novel.Loki, that’s me.Loki, the Light-Bringer, the misunderstood, the elusive, the handsome and modest hero of this particular tissue of lies. Take it with a pinch of salt, but it’s at least as true as the official version, and, dare I say it, more entertaining.So far, history, such as it is, has cast me in a rather unflattering role.Now it’s my turn to take the stage.With his notorious reputation for trickery and deception, and an ability to cause as many problems as he solves, Loki is a Norse god like no other. Demon-born, he is viewed with deepest suspicion by his fellow gods who will never accept him as one of their own and for this he vows to take his revenge. From his recruitment by Odin from the realm of Chaos, through his years as the go-to man of Asgard, to his fall from grace in the build-up to Ragnarok, this is the unofficial history of the world’s ultimate trickster.

Honestly, any new title from Joanne Harris would be featured here but the fact that this one is an adult fantasy makes it that much higher on my must have list!